"Yama-Sato-Umi agroecosystem connectivity"
Development and evaluation of environmental conservation technologies for tropical islands through an approach emphasizing Yama-Sato-Umi (Ridge-to-reef agroecosystem) connectivity
2022-01-11
Background
Tropical islands are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and natural disasters, and inappropriate land and water use is causing environmental degradation and impacts on the ocean. Specifically, environmental problems such as deforestation of forests and mangroves, soil runoff from agricultural land, and nutrient runoff from chemical fertilizers and animal feed are occurring. As the saying goes, "The forest is the lover of the sea," mountain villages and the sea are closely related through material cycles and human activities. In particular, on islands where the distance from the mountains to the sea is short and continuous, it is necessary to work on mountain villages and seas in an integrated manner.
Objectives
We will develop and demonstrate technologies that contribute to soil runoff control and nutrient load reduction through the appropriate management of environmental resources and effective utilization of biological resources in the mountains, villages and seas, and quantify the environmental conservation effects such as improvement of river water quality on islands by introducing these technologies using a watershed model.
Research Themes
- Development of environmental load reduction and resource circulation technologies for mountains, villages and seas of tropical islands
- Environmental assessment of nutrients and soils in the watersheds of tropical islands and clarification of the conditions for introducing the technology
Target Countries
Philippines, Japan (Ishigaki Island)
Target Beneficiaries
Agricultural, mountainous and fishing area workers; local residents; people in-charge of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and environmental policies in local governments and agencies
Project Leader
ANZAI Toshihiko (Tropical Agriculture Research Front)
JIRCAS Report
Tokyo University of Agriculture Students Visit TARF
A group of 17 third-year students and two faculty members from Tokyo University of Agriculture visited the Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF) on November 22, 2022.
MoU with Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Department of Agriculture, Republic of the Philippines
On March 17, 2022, JIRCAS held a signing ceremony for a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint research with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Department of Agriculture, Republic of the Philippines.
Director General of Okinawa Prefectural Agricultural Research Center Visited TARF
On December 8, 2021, TAMASHIRO Satoshi, Director General of the Okinawa Prefectural Agricultural Research Center, together with IREI Shin, Director of Crop and Environmental Research Division, and WATANABE Tamaki, Head of Research Planning Group, Administration and Planning Division, visited the JIRCAS Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF) located in Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture.
Field Information
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Pick Up
637. Mushroom Day
Tomorrow, October 15, is "Mushroom Day" in Japan. A research project of JIRCAS aims to conserve forests in the Philippines and other tropical islands by increasing their value through the combined cultivation of non-wood forest products such as mushrooms, fruit trees, and valuable tree species in mountain areas where forests have been cut down and soil erosion has occurred.